17 Anaheim Mighty Ducks

Surely the folks who run the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim know whatthey're doing. This is Disney, after all, not some Mickey Mouseorganization. These guys are emperors of entertainment, kingpinsin the corporate world, maestros of management. Why, MichaelEisner himself, Disney's CEO, usually makes it a point to appearfront-row center in the Ducks' annual team photo just toreassure everyone that the team is in good hands.

So you just know there's some superior reasoning behind the factthat the Ducks 1) fired coach Ron Wilson after he led the teamto its best season ever in 1996-97; 2) fired Wilson's successor,Pierre Page, after a 10-month tenure that was undercut by theprolonged absence of top player Paul Kariya; and 3) hired CraigHartsburg, who as coach of the Blackhawks mocked Kariya. AfterHawks defenseman Gary Suter cross-checked the Ducks' star in thejaw in February, sidelining him with a concussion for the restof the season, Hartsburg said that Kariya "had to pay the price"for being near the net.

Hartsburg and Kariya apparently smoothed over any potentialtension with a face-to-face discussion at the start of trainingcamp, and it's a good thing. Kariya, the league's most talentedleft wing, and Teemu Selanne, the NHL's most talented rightwing, will have to be as happy as Ducks on a Pond for Anaheim tomake the postseason. In a further display of its elusive logic,Ducks management has provided that duo with scant support. AfterKariya (277 points in 220 career games) and Selanne (twostraight 50-goal seasons), the Ducks possess exactly zerooffensive threats. Worse, Anaheim has the NHL's leastintimidating defense, an anonymous group that surrendered thesecond-most goals in the Western Conference last season. GoalieGuy Hebert, usually a bright spot, is coming off a mediocreseason (.903 save percentage) and shoulder surgery.

At least the players have responded well to Hartsburg'sdemanding practice and conditioning regimen, leading him topredict, "We're going to surprise people." Maybe they will.After all, the folks who run the Ducks must surely know whatthey're doing.